This invention relates generally to timing systems for sporting events and recreational activities, and, more particularly, to timing systems for such events and activities in which participants traverse a designated course after being released one by one from a starting position on the course. For example, certain skiing events are of this general character, as is a popular recreational activity whereby members of the public drive racing vehicles which are started one by one and timed over a lap of a specially constructed course.
Clearly, in any such sporting event or activity, one important requirement is that the starting times of the participants be optimally spaced. If the spacing is too close, there may be unwanted, and perhaps disastrous interference between participants, and a more complicated timing system is required. However, if the spacing is too great, the course is inefficiently utilized, and, although this inefficiency might be of little consequence in a skiing event, it is of great importance in a more commercial activity, such as the timed racing of motor vehicles.
Timing systems already available are capable of timing several competitors simultaneously and displaying the measured times, but none addresses the problem of optimally spacing the competitors on the course. Consequently, there is a definite need for a timing system overcoming this problem and having the capability of accurately and reliably timing a number of participants simultaneously on the course, and displaying each participant's elapsed time on completion of the course. The present invention satisfies this need.